Filling-replenishing loom



M. L. STONE.

FILLING REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC .24, 1919.

1369, 186. Pat ented Feb. 22,1921;

Invent or:

UNITED. STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

MELVIN L. STONE, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER CORPORA-TION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORATION OF FILLING-REPLENISHINGLOOM.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

Application filed December 24, 1919. Serial No. 347,105.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVIN L. STONE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in F illing-Replenishing Looms, of whichthefollowing description, in connec tion with the accompanying drawings, isa specification, like characters on the drawings representing likeparts.

This invention relates to filling replenishing looms, and moreparticularly to the means for effecting replenishment of the fillingwhen that in the active shuttle has be come substantially exhausted, butprior to complete exhaustion.

It is now the ordinary practice-in filling replenishing looms to providea feeler mechanism which feels for the filling in the shuttle on eachdetecting beat, and when it ascertains that the filling is substantiallyexhausted, it sets in operation a train'of mechanism for effectingreplenishment of filling. In some cases the feeler mechanism hasmeasured or calipered the amount of filling remaining on the fillingcarrier or bobbin on each detecting beat, and set in action a train ofmechanism for effecting replenishment of filling when the measuredamount of filling reaches a predetermined amount. In other cases thefeeler mechanism hasbeen mounted for movement longitudinally of thefilling carrier or bobbin when the filling has become substantiallyexhausted on a detecting beat. and such movement has been effected byeither the frontward push upon the feeler member, or by some mechanicalmeans. In still other forms of feeler mechanism, the feeler. member hasbeen permitted to enter a recess in the filling carrier or bobbin whenthe filling has reached a predetermined degree of exhaustion. In allthese attempts to provide a feeler mechanism, the objects sought havebeen to minimize the amount of waste remaining on the filling carrier orbobbin when it is ejected from the shuttle, and yet to retain sufiicientamount of filling on the filling carrier or bobbin to prevent partial ormis-picks, and some of these previous attempts have met withconsiderable success.

One of the obiects of the present invention is to provide means foreffecting replenishment of filling,'which shall be rendered operativefor this purpose by the unwinding movement or motion of the filling whenit has reached a degree of substantial exhaustion. V Q

In carrying this feature of the invention into practical effect, theshuttle is provided with a part which, when a working supply of fillingis present in the shuttle, occupies what may be hereinafter known as anormal position, and which, when the filling is substantially exhausted,is moved into an abnormal or different position by the unwinding motionor movement of the filling, and upon a detecting beat, efit'ectsreplenishment of the filling. I I

The particular form of the part above mentioned may be varied betweenwide limits, as applicantbelieves himself to be the first in the art toprovide means on the shuttle which is positioned by the unwindingmovement of the filling when it reaches substantial exhaustion to effectreplenishment. In the present embodiment of the invention, however, thesaid part takes the form of a pivoted element or dog,an end portion ofwhich extends into the shuttle chamber, and another portion of whichextends toward the front side of the shuttle to actuate means foreffecting replenishment of filling when the fingeror dog is moved intoposition by the unwinding motion of the filling as it is drawn from thefilling carrier or bobbin within the shuttle.

Another important feature of the invention in this respect consists of ashifting weight which acts to hold the dog in its normal position, thatis, the position it occupies when a working supply of filling isin theshuttle, and is moved or shifted along the finger or dog when the latteris moved into its-abnormal position by the unwinding filling, to therebyhold the finger or dog in its abnormal position. In other words, theshifting weight serves to hold the dog either in its normal or abnormalposition.

When the dog has been moved into its abnormal position. and is held bythe shifting weight on a detecting beat, it cooperates with a train ofmechanism to effect replenishment of filling. Another important featureof the invention consists of means for returning the dog to its normalposition when replenishment of filling is effected.

Other features and novel combination of parts in addition to theabovewill be hereinafter described in connection with the accom anyingdrawings which illustrate one goo practical form ofthe In the drawingscontainingzthe present invention, someof .the partsbeing broken away forclearness nected to the shuttle.

of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a cross section showing the shuttle and associated partscontaining the present invention, the dog being shown in its normalposition; Fig. 3 is a View similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the actionof the parts on a detecting heat When the dog is in its abnormalposition;, q

- Fig. 4 is an-enlarged detail sectional view showing one, good form ofdigging and shifting Weight for holding itinits normal or abnormalposition;

I Fig. :5 shows in perspective a part of the replenishing mechanismhaving the dog resetting device associated therewith; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic View showing the action of the filling on thedog when the filling is Substantially exhausted and being drawn fromth'einitial windings.

The shuttle body 1 maybe of usual character and have the open bottom andtop For the insertion andejection of filling carriers.

or'bobbi'ns. 'Atone end the shuttle is provided with the holding 'i'aws2 which engage suitable rings on the head or base portion 4of-the bobbinor filling carrier for holding the latter-and its load in the shuttle.The shuttle may also be provided with the usual automatic threadingblock, but as this does not constitute part ofthe presentinvention,andis well known and understood, its illustrationand description herein.is not deemed necessary-Q 5 I r The shuttle 1 isprovided with an opening5 in its front wall. that is, the wall that is toward the front of the100m when the shut He is in the shuttle-box, and extendinglongitudinally along the shuttle is the recess 6--formed in the shuttlebody in which is seated the arm 7 which may be secured to the shuttlebody by the usual bolt or screw 8 by Whichthefbob'bin' holding jaws arecon- Any appropriate means, however, may be employed for secur= in'gthearm 7 to the shuttle body. .Oppo'- site the opening 5' in thefrontwallof the shuttle, the arm 7 is provided with an inwardlyextending flange 'Slqwhieh may be "formedgintegrally with the arr'n7,'orother wise devised to provide asupport for the .pivfoted dog to bedescribed;

, Pivotally niounted on the flai'i'ge 9 at 10 is the dog or-tiltingmember. one end portion 11' of which extends into theshuttle chamber ata point preferably opposite the serv ice windingsobi-the;filling-carrier or bobwith a downwardly extendinglip 12 whichmay engagethe unwinding fillingjwhenxit tion, as will more fullyhereinafterappear. The dog has a frontwardly extending portion 13 whichmay constitute a hunter for engaging means connected to a train. of

mechanismfor effecting replenishment of filling when the lay movesfrontwardly on .has reached degree of Substantialexhaus tion, asindicated in Fig. 3. The shifting weight be variously contrived; but'inthe present instance ot'the 'invention,-the

dog is provided with achamber '14: which 7 may contain affiuid, such,for instance, as

mercury, and the chamber at its front portion may be somewhat deeperthan-at its rear portion, in order ton-more effectively retain the dogin its operative. position when it has been moved into such position bythe unwinding mot-ion or-movement of thefilling. WVhen the dogisinits'normal pos.i

tion as indicated in Fi 2 thejfr ont' ed e a 7 a: portion 15 may act asa stop by engagement with the surfacelfi forming the u per wall oftheslot 5 in the shuttle side. stop 17 extends from the dog, and byengagement with the side of the shuttle, as indicated in tive position01- the dog when it has been Figs. .3 and 4-, serves'to determine theopera- 7 tilted by the unwinding motion of the fill- I ing. From theconstruction .thus far described, it will. be understood that when aworking supply of-filling is present on the filling carrier or; bobbin,as indicated at I) (Fig. 2), the doga will-be maintained in its! normalposition by the shifting weight carried by the dog. In ltSllOllll alposition,

in the present instance of'the invention, the

inner end -11 of the dogis depressed, that is, the dog t lted around itspivotal mounting lO with its inner. end 11 in lowered position, theconsequence being that the shifting weight willautomatically move towardthe inner end of the dog and hold'thefi'dog in such position, asindicated in Fig. 2, during a weaving operationwhen a working supply offilling is in the shuttle. Shouldfthe dog be tilted-into its abnormalposition, as indicated. byFigs. 3 and 4, for instance, the

shifting weigh-twill move from the inner toward the outerfendrof 'thedogand retain it 1n,1ts "abnormal position with the stop 17resting-against'the cooperating-part of the shuttle body. I c g r Inorder to'mo've the dog-from its normal to its abnormalposition, thepresent inven- V i tion' contemplates utilizing the motion or rotarymovement of the filling about the filling carrier when the filling hasreached a predetermined degree of exhaustion. In carrying this featureof the invention into practical effect, the filling carrier or bobbin 0has a series of initial windings wound thereon of greater'diameter thanthe adja cent service windings, so that when the serv ice windings arebeing withdrawn from the shuttle, they will not strike the inner endportion of the dog, and consequently, the dog will remain in its normalposition, as indicated in'Fig. 2, while the service windings are beingwithdrawn from the shuttle. When, however, the filling is being wit '1-drawn from the windings of larger diameter than the service windings,the increased diameter of the circular are described by the unwindingfilling,'will cause it to engage the inner end of the dog and ti ltv theinner end upwardly, thereby moving the dog from its normal to itsabnormal position, where upon, the shifting weight automatically movestoward the outerend of the dog down the inclined portion 18 into theslotted portion at the front of the dog, and consequently, the dog willbe held in its abnorma position by the weight.

The initial windings of increased diameter may be placed upon a propersupport on the filling carrier or bobbin which, in the present instance,isconstituted by thehead et'of the filling carrier 0. That is, when thewindings are first placed upon the filling carrier in the, spinningframe, a series of initial windings 19 (Fig. 1) are placed upon the heador base of the bobbin before the service windings are laid upon thebobbin. When the filling is being drawn from the service windings asrepresented at d (Fig. 6), the filling will move about the fillingcarrier or bobbin in a path indicated by the dot and broken lines inFig. 6, and will not engage the inner end of the dog. When, however, theservice windings have been exhausted to a predetermined degree, and thefilling is being drawn from the initial windings of larger diameter,which, in the present instance, are laid upon the base or head of thebobbin, then the filling will be moved in a circular path about thebobbin or filling carrier in an arc of greater diameter, and such thatthe filling on its upward movement relative'to the dog, will engage theinner end of the dog, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 6, and moveit from itsnormal to its abnormal position, where it will be held by the shiftingweight.

Cooperating with the dog is a feeler member which may be of any desiredor usual character, and which, when thedog is in its normal or tiltedposition, as indicated in 2, does not engage the dog on each detectingbeat, but which when the dog is in its abnormal position, as indicatedin Fig. 3, engages the dog and is moved frontwardly thereby to actuatethe train of mechanism for effecting replenishment of filling. Thefeeler member may be of any usual type suitable for the intendedpurpose, but in the present instance of the invention, the feeler memberis constituted by an arm 20 pivotally mounted at 21 to a carrier 22which is itself supported for movement toward and from the front of theloom.

Rising from the pivotal axis 21 of the feeler the front end thereof intoposition to engage a controller 27 and move it frontwardly on furtherfrontward movement of the lay to effect replenishment of filling. Theconstruction of the feeler member 20,

the controller 26 and the carrier 22 ,may

be substantially the same as-in the Draper feeler, and as shown anddescribed in the patent to Wood and Northrup, No. 789,471, dated May 9,1905. While the feeler member may be conveniently formed as abovedescribed, it is to be understood that the invention is notrestrictedthereto, but may be associated with any appropriate form of feelerfinger. I

When the dog a has beenmoved from its normal position (Fig. 2) to itsabnormal position (Figs. 1 and 3) by the unwinding motion of thefilling, it will be held in that position by the shifting weight.Consequently, means are herein provided for returning the dog to itsnormal position when replenishment of filling is effected. Such meansmay be variously contrived, but in the present instance, the usual,transferrer 28, which as well understood in the art, transfers a fillingcarrier from a hopper to the shuttle beneath when filling is to bereplenished, is provided with an adjustable setting finger 29 which isso positioned that on the transfer of a fresh filling carrier to theshuttle by the transferrer, the end of the setting finger 29 will engagethe inner end portion 11 of the dog and tilt the dog into its normalposition, whereupon, the shifting weight immediately assumes control ofthe dog in its new position and holds it in such position.

The setting finger 29 may be connected to the transferrer as indicatedin Fig. 5, and have an adjusting portion 30 whereby its action upon thedog may be controlled.-

From'the construction described it will be understood that the dog a isnormally maintained in its normal position, as'indicated in Fig. 2, bythe shifting weight during the time filling is being withdrawn from theservice windings on the filling carrier or bobbin. 7 lVhen, however, thefilling is.

being withdrawn from the initial windings of larger diameter, theupwardly swinging movement of the filling as it unwinds, engages theinner end 11' of the dog adj acent the toe 12, and moves the dog intoits ab-' normal position, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. The shiftingweight then moves to the other side of the pivot of the dog and holdsthe dog in its abnormal position; When v the lay moves forward and theshuttle is in the box at the detecting side oit'the loom or opposite thefeeler member, the front end or bunterportion of the dog engages thefeeler member and actuates it for effecting replenishment of filling.When filling replenishment is effected, the setting finger 29 resets thedog, and the position of the dog 7 of the filling when drawn from thehead. or

base of the bobbin, a shifting weight movable to' either side of thepivotalmounting of the dog, and-a feeler member adaptedto be engaged andactuated by the dog on a detecting beatwhen it has been tilted by theunwinding filling to effect replenishment of filling. V I

2. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay, a shuttleprovided with a bobbin containing initial windings of filling onthe'head or base thereof, a dog pivotally mounted on the shuttle andextending into the shuttle chamber to be engaged and tilted bytheunwinding motion of'the filling when drawn from the head or base of thebobbin, a shifting weight movable to either side of the pivotal mountingot-the dog, a feeler member adapted to be engaged and actuated by'thedog on a dea bobbin having initial windings of filling of greaterdiameter than the service winding is effected.

ing adjacent thereto, a dogmounted on the shuttle and adapted to bemoved from a normal to an-abnormal position by the un-" winding ofthefilling from theinitial windings, and means actuated by the dog when inabnormal position'on a detecting beat for r effecting replenishment offilling.

' 4. In a filling replenishing loom, the com-' bination'of the lay, ashuttle provided with a bobbin having initial windings of filling ofgreater diameter than the service winding adjacent thereto, a dogmounted on the shuttle and'adapted to be movedfrom a normal' to anabnormal position by the unwinding of the filling from the initialwindings, a shifting weight for holdingthe dog in and adapted to bemoved from a normal to sin-abnormal 'positionbythe filling as it'isunwound from the initial windings, a weight r for holding the dog innormal position with permissive movement by the unwinding filling toabnormal position, and means act'u ated by the dog when 1n abnormalposition 011a detecting beat for effecting replenishment of filling. j

6. 'In a filling replenishing loom,thecom bination of the lay, a shuttleprovided with a bobbin having initial windings'of filling of greaterdiameter than the adjacent service windings, a dog carried by theshuttle and adapted tobe moved from a normal to 1 permissive movement'by'the unwinding filling to abnormal position, means actuated normal orabnormal position, and means 7 by the dog when in abnormal position'on'a detecting beat for eii'ecting replenishment of 7 filling,and-means for. returningthe' dog; to normal position when replenishmentof fill- 7. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of vthe lay:and shuttle, a dog mounted'on the shuttle and adapted tobe moved from anormal to an abnormal positionby the unwinding motion'of the fillingwhen it is substantially exhausted, a weight for holding the dog ineither normal or abnormal position, a hunter carried by the dog, andmeans actuated by the-hunter for effecting replenishment of fillingwhen'the dog is beat.

in abnormal'position' on'a detecting 8. In a filling replenishing loom,the combination of the lay and shuttle, a dog mounted on'the shuttle andmoved from an inoperative to an operative position by the motion of theunwinding filling when it reaches a degree of substantial exhaustion, aWeight movable along the dog for holding it in either operative orinoperative position, and means actuated by the dog when in operativeposition on a detecting beat for effecting replenishment of filling.

9. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay andshuttle, a dog mounted on the shuttle and moved from a normal toanabnormal position by the unwinding motion of the filling, and meansactuated by the dog when in abnormal position on a detecting beat toeffect replenishment of filling.

10. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay andshuttle, a dog mounted on the shuttle and moved from a normal to anabnormal position by the unwinding motion of the filling, a shiftingweight for holding the dog in either normal or abnormal position, andmeans actuated by the dog when in abnormal position on a gialtectingbeat to effect replenishment of 11. In a fillin replenishing loom, thecombination of t e lay and shuttle, a dog pivotally mounted on theshuttle and moved from a normal to an abnormal position by the unwindingmotion of the filling when it is substantially exhausted, and meansactuated by the abnormally positioned dog on a detecting beat forreplenishing the filling.

12. In a filling replenishing loom, the

combination of the lay and the shuttle, and

means carried by the shuttle and positioned by the unwinding motion ofthe filling to effect replenishment thereof.

13. In a filling, replenishing loom, the combination of the lay and theshuttle, and a dog carried by the shuttle and positioned by theunwinding motion of the filling to effect replenishment thereof.

14:. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay and the'shuttle, means carried by the shuttle and positioned by the unwindingmotion of the filling to effect replenishment thereof, and a feelermember adapted to be actuated by the said means when positioned by theunwinding filling on a detecting beat to effect replenishment offilling. v

15. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay andshuttle, means mounted on the shuttle and moved from one position toanother b the motion of the unwinding filling, a shlfting weight forholding said means in either position, and a feeler member adapted to beengaged and actuated by said means when in one of said positions on adetecting beat to efi'ect replenishment of filling.

16. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay andshuttle, a dog mounted on the shuttle and adapted to be moved fromanormal to an abnormal posi tion by the unwinding movement of thefilling, means actuated by the dog when in abnormal position on adetecting beat for replenishing filling, and means for resetting the dogin its normal position when filling is replenished.

17. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay andshuttle, a dog mounted on the shuttle and adapted to be moved from anormal to an abnormal position by the unwinding movement of the filling,means actuated by the dog when in abnormal position on a detecting beatfor replenishing filling, a finger actuated when filling is beingreplenished for engaging and resetting the dog in its normal position.

18. A filling detector comprising a shut? tle, a dog mounted on theshuttle and movable from a normal to an abnormal posi tion by theunwinding motion of the filling when it is nearly exhausted, and ashifting weight for holding the dog in either positlon.

19. A filling detector comprising a shuttle, a dog pivotally mounted onthe shuttle and movable from a normal to an abnormal position by thefilling as it is withdrawn from the filling carrier in the shuttle, andmeans for retaining the dog in either normal or abnormal position.

20. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay andshuttle, and means extending into the shuttle and positioned by theunwinding motion of the filling when it reaches a condition ofsubstantial exhaustion to eflect replenishment of filling.

21. In a filling replenishing loom, the combination of the lay andshuttle, and pivotally mounted means extending into the shuttle andpositioned by the unwinding motion of the filling when it reaches acondition of substantial exhaustion to eflect replenishment of filling.

22. A filling detector comprising a shuttle, a dog which is pivotallymounted on the shuttle and movable from a normal to an abnormal positionby the filling as it is withdrawn from the shuttle, and a fluid shiftingweight for holding the dog in either a normal or abnormal position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

MELVIN L. STONE.

